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Sunday, August 22, 2010

From Chicago, the land before time, it's your host, the woman who sat through her son's first, 12 hour, football game while keeling over in pain and completely clueless as to what was going on, Dawn Meehan.

I want to take a minute to thank everyone for their prayers and well-wishes this week. The pain from the diverticulitis is much, much better now. The nausea and dizziness from the meds and the clear liquid diet are still in full force. And I'm really, really not looking forward to surgery. If I told you the reason why, you'd probably roll your eyes at me. I'm not scared of the surgery itself, nor am I scared of pain. I can handle pain. It's the anesthesia. Anesthesia makes me throw up. Every. Single. Time. I beg the anesthesiologist to help me. I warn him that I'm going to vomit upon waking. He assures me that he'll load me up with anti-nausea meds and I'll be fine. Then upon waking, when I'm retching from the tips of my toes, and barfing up my spleen, he'll walk by and say, "Wow, you weren't kidding! Huh! How 'bout that? I've never seen anyone put their digestive system in reverse quite like that before." It'll go on for hours. It's horrible. If they could do the surgery with just an epidural, I'd be a happy camper.

But anyway, I really want to say thank you! Thank you so much for all your prayers and good thoughts! It means the world to me! :) And thank you so much to my parents and my real life friends. You guys are awesome! My friend, Julie called and asked me if she could pick up anything from the store for me. I said, "Maybe some Jello." She came by with $300 worth of groceries! Ginny and Doreen were right there, offering to take my kids to football and cheer and help out in any way they could. Thank you!!!

Newsletter? How do we sign up for your newsletter?Just scroll down my blog, and towards the bottom on the left side, you'll see a blue box that reads, "Get Book News & Updates from Dawn!" Just put in your name and email address and voila, you'll get my newsletter!

Those notes you wrote are so darn funny ! I used to analize dreams but I just can't figure this one out. LOLJust what were you drinking !?!Rum and cranberry juice. See, the juice offsets the rum. That's my theory. I'm sticking to it.

So is that who's visiting your blog right now really right? Iceland?! Are you kiddin' me? Europe? Those red things are hypnotic?Yeah, if you've never scrolled to the bottom of my blog, you probably have no clue what this is about. I have a map at the very bottom of the blog and it shows, in real time, who's visiting my blog. Check it out. I have visitors from 107 countries. I didn't even know there WERE 107 countries! No one from Greenland has checked it out though. There's gotta be a scientist or two living in that frozen land, don't you think? I think they'd like to read about the goofy things my kids do.But I'm not going to get obsessed about it like Que!

I love walking into a Lowes or Home Depot. Just the smell of lumber makes me feel good. Does that mean that I have to turn in my "girl card?"Yes, it does! I had to stop at Home Depot today to pick up the replacement window I ordered a couple weeks ago. The first thing I said when I walked in, is "This place smells disgusting!" Now, take Babies R Us - I LOVE that store! I don't even have any babies, but I could still get lost in that store for hours and it smells good in there! Like baby powder!

My problem with Home Depot is that the (male) employees treat all women like idiots.But see, I AM an idiot! At least when it comes to tools and fixing stuff and guy stuff. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I have no desire to learn. I like being in the kitchen and doing "girl stuff". I'm perfectly fine with letting a knight in shining armor take care of that stuff while I sit back and admire him. Hey, it's my fantasy! I can pretend such men exist.

Did they clarify if Rum is NOT a preferred liquid for the next 48 hours? Sadly, yes. Apparently, if I have any traces of alcohol with these antibiotics, it will induce pain and vomiting of exorcist proportions (not to mention that fact that I couldn't begin to stomach the stuff right now.) You guys can have a drink in my honor though. :)

Is there a post office box where we can send you cards? That is such a simple but uplifting thing - nice for you to receive and feel the love and support and we (the readers) feel like we can do something positive for you.Awww, that's so sweet. I do have a PO box. It's -Dawn Meehan836 S. Arlington Heights Rd.#230Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Why do we all hide our underwear in our clothes when we go to those appointments?Hee hee! I talk all about that in my new book. You guys can pre-order it HERE. Come on, you know you want to. (Really, I'm not just saying that because I have insane insurance premiums and medical bills to pay.)

However, I can't believe it'll take another 6 - 8 weeks for the diverticulitis to clear up! Not on a liquid diet that whole time I hope!?!?I hope not either. I'm still doing clear liquids now, but I've added half a piece of bread when I take my pills to help my stomach. On the bright side, I've lost 11 pounds so far... I could probably live off my fat for another six months and be perfectly fine. Well, except for the fact that I have no energy to do more than shower every day.

27 comments:

They CAN with a spinal!!!!!!! Ok so I had the same procedure last summer (same cyst with hair too) it was emergent I was so loopy (thanks to the life flight guys! Gravol ROCKS!) they did that removal with a spinal and loopy meds. This Feb I was booked to have a hysto umm non abdominaly menatl picture sorry! They set it up for a spinal with the loopy meds, even had they had to go abdominal they COULD. But I have a wee fear of the OR itself and lost if before surgery ya I bawled and begged to be knocked out, I should have gone with the spinal due to the nausea and pain. But BEG them to do a spinal!!!!And you can laugh at me who hates puke so much that my youngest is going in 2 weeks for surgery that guarantee's her to be as sick as you for at least a week ya so NOT looking forward to that part. Good luck since I will be MIA!

Ask your doc, I bet they can do the surgery with just a spinal or an epidural! I once needed major surgery when I was extremely pregnant so they couldn't put me under. They gave me a spinal and I was awake the entire time.

I am not sure if you read my comment about being in the same situation as you. I had lower pain and was told I had gallstones and then come to find out I had an ovarian cyst.

Friday I had surgery to remove the ovary. I can't tell you how much relief I feel. The pain from the surgery is nothing to the pain I was feeling before.I just wanted to write you a note and tell you good luck! I understand the kind of pain you are in and you will feel so much better after they take it out.

Anesthesia makes me very sick too. The last time I had surgery the anesthesiologist put a motion sickness patch behind my ear. To my surprise, it worked! You might ask about it. (of course, a possible side effect is double vision, but I decided to chance it!)Good luck!

I am new to your blog, and have read several of your Sunday Sound Out posts, and just want to let you know...I really enjoy reading these posts. Love how you answer the questions.

Sorry about your illness. It really does suck to be ill when you have six children to take care...I know this because I have six children as well.

A nonsense thought... the Who's Visiting my Blog map is mesmerizing, and I don't really understand it. Still though, the flashing grey dots (which I think are of those who are currently viewing the blog) has me waiting to see if another dot will appear. Currently, there is one flashing grey in Australia, I am intrigued by that country. Silly that I am so entertained...mesmerized. Maybe I ought to add this to my blog...

Okay...rather long comment...just wanted to say hi, and that I do enjoy reading your posts.

Dawn - I think you need to leave new instructions for the anesthesiologist. After you expel your digestive tract upon waking they should at least power wash it before helping you put all of it back. Use a 10% hydrogen peroxide to water mix and don't ask how I know these things...

I can identify with the anesthesia fears, although I will say the past few surgeries they've done a good job with keeping my nausea under control. Maybe you'll really have to get in the anesthesiologist's face, especially since this is ABDOMINAL surgery. Will be praying!!!! :)

I'm so excited your new book is coming out in Kindle edition-any chance you can talk the publisher into putting your first book out for Kindle as well? I requested it on Amazon, but who knows if they see those things.

Anyway, can't wait to read it and I hope you are feeling better soon! Here's to a no-vomit post-surgery! :)

I have relatives and friends with issues with anesthesia, and I believe you can do a number of surgical procedures with a spinal/epidural/medication combo. Definitely run it by the doctors and see if that is an option.

The day before I had major abdominal surgery my surgeon had me put on an anti-nausea patch - Most commonly prescribed for motion sickness. I had to wear it for a full 24 hours before the surgery, then another 24 hours after. I did not vomit, and never even felt nausea. It's called Transderm Scōp - It's a prescription, but they just gave me one instead of an entire box. My surgeon prescribed it, not the anesthesiologist.

Talk to your doctor about it, and ask that he/she discuss it with the anesthesiologist at least a week before surgery. On the day of the surgery make sure you talk to a nurse about your fears, and discuss it again with the anesthesiologist when he/she comes in to talk to you.

Oh, don't be too surprised if they ask you to do a colon cleanse the day before surgery. I had to, and I think it was because they have to move the intestines to do the surgery - A safety precaution.

I sure hope you are feeling better soon. Just a word of advice re the liquid diet. I was on a liquid diet for 8 weeks after I broke my jaw and had to be wired shut. When you try to go back on normal foods, your stomach will revolt and not digest well. Take it slowly with soft easy to digest foods and things should be just fine. Sending hugs and prayers your way.

I highly recommend having surgery by epidural if it is an option for you. I had knee surgery that way before I ever had kids. It was cool being the only one really awake in recovery! Befriending and anesthesiologist isn't a bad idea either....

Hi Dawn, I'm the flashing dot in Nelson Bay Australia because we're here "down undah" for a couple of weeks! SO grateful for the good news about that best-ever word "benign." (By the way, in the stem cell debate, teratomas figure prominently in why embryonic stem cells don't work so well compared to adult stem cells: when those ESCs are injected into people's brains, since you can't control them, you can get teratomas!) Blessing you today from a LONG way away!

Sorry to hear your going through all this. I'll be keeping you in my prayers. I've been having issues with pain around my navel area for some time, I had testing done today, but I hate dr's, needles, hospitals etc. I know join the crowd right LOL. I'm hoping it's nothing serious. We have no family nearby. I think your a great Mom and I enjoy reading about your days. They make me smile. Many blessings to you.

If your antibiotic is the same as mine, you have to stay away from vinegar as well as alcohol. (Vinegar is made from alcohol.) So, after you're off clear liquids, you'll want to stay away from mayo, salad dressings, ketchup, and many other yummy things. Sorry. :)

I too get very sick from anesthesia. I've had the most success with Scopolomine patches put on the night before surgery and worn for 24 hours after (Just like the ones people wear on cruise ships) See if your doctor will give you an rx for them, and good luck!

I completely know what you mean about anesthesia and vomiting. I warned every single person possible about that before surgery 4 weeks ago, and was assured it would be fine. After 6 hours vomiting uncontrollably in recovery (should have been 1 hour), I pleaded to go home. I proceeded to vomit as they wheeled me through the hospital and loaded me in our car, all the way home and spent another 24 hours reeling over and vomiting with intense pain, and dealing with overwhelming pain where surgery was because painkillers also make me vomit.

I have had an intestinal bacterial infection called C-Diff for over 3 months now. Have gone thru 2 doses of meds and it is still not gone. I too do not have health insurance. I had to go through the Manufacturer for the meds. So I believe I know what you are going through, it is not fun. But on the bright side I have been consistantly losing weight!Good luck! I hope you have better luck than me!